X-Ray & CT Scanning Archives - Industrial Inspection & Consulting

Re-working Defects using CT Scan Data

REDUCING SCRAP BY RE-WORKING DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS

Inspection requirements and services are often considered “non-value added” because they cost money and could cause delays if the products do not meet specifications.

But, what if inspection services can be Value Saving?

Some parts we inspect are safety and mission critical. Other times, only a handful of parts are available and to produce more would require significant tooling and development costs. These parts could take months and many thousands of dollars to produce. If inherent, latent defects are causing significant scrap rates, we offer a way to accurately define the exact location of each defect within a part. By physically pinpointing exact defect locations and depths, we assist manufacturers in their re-work operations which can significantly reduce wasted material, cash, and production timelines.

Step 1: CT Scan the Product

The first step in this process is to collect CT scan data of the part. The CT data is then aligned to a CAD model. The origin and coordinate system of this CAD model is critical for the next steps. Once the CT scans are aligned to CAD our team of ASNT / NAS410 radiography specialists review the data and notate any rejectable indications. Volume Graphics indication points produce XYZ coordinates relative to the coordinate system of the project scene and coordinate system. We then export these indication coordinate points into a separate file.

Casting defects are particularly important if they are in high-stress zones, or near machined surfaces. We can determine if these defects are in these zones, and even modify CAD for boundary acceptability tolerancing. For example, the manufacturer may find defects acceptable up to .5mm from a machined surface. We can offset CAD surfaces by .5mm for an objective indicator of rejectability.

Step 2: LASER SCAN THE PART

The second step of this process is to laser scan the part. Once data is captured we align the scan to the same CAD model used in Step 1. Then, we import the indication coordinate points into PolyWorks.

Step 3: PROBE THE DEFECT

The third step of the process is to locate the indication coordinate points using the the probe of our laser scanner. Once the probe is within an allowable distance of the actual indication, the zone turns green.

Step 4: MARK THE DEFECT

Once the probe is within the acceptable zone of the indication, the technician uses their other hand to physically mark the indication defect on the part with a marker or paint pen. Then, manufacturers can machine or drill out the location and weld the geometry back for a defect free product.

Goldin Auctions & IIC team up for Collectibles Authentications

IIC provides Letter of Authentication to Goldin Auctions

Pokémon’s Chinese-language Base Set release is considered one of the rarest language localizations associated with the inaugural expansion. Looking through the lens of the most coveted card in the issue, Charizard’s 1st Edition Rare Holofoil entry, PSA has validated just 192 copies of the Chinese variation, as compared to nearly 14,000 Japanese-language copies (for which no “1st Edition” designation was given), more than 4,700 English-language examples, more than 2,000 German-language specimens, and more than 330 Spanish-language copies. The box’s exterior reflects minor, routine wear from handling and storage and remains securely sealed within the manufacturer’s cellophane wrapping.

This seldom-encountered booster box comes with a LOA from Industrial Inspection & Consulting LLC. IIC reviewed this specimen for Goldin to verify authenticity and confirm it has not been tampered with. Goldin has no knowledge of the contents or potential card identities. Goldin is proud to take these extra measures to ensure that Pokémon collectors receive a properly reviewed, unadulterated product.

COLLECTIBLES NEWS & UPDATES

Evaluating Pharmaceutical Medications and Pills using Industrial CT Scanning

INDUSTRIAL CT SCANNING FOR PHARMACEUTICAL EVALUATION

Industrial CT Scanning is used in the pharmaceutical industry to evaluate pills, tablets, and packaging to quantify characteristics like ingredient homogeneity, coating thickness, and drug release.

This case study highlights three common OTC medications to demonstrate how CT scanning can benefit pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Tylenol Rapid Release - RELEASE MECHANISM

CT scanning helps to detect defects such as air pockets, cracks, or uneven coating. These defects could affect the pill’s effectiveness, so identifying them during production is critical. The below image shows a crack within the outer coating and shell.

The Rapid Release shell is a deliberately porous structure designed to increase solubility and the speed of release of the drug.

ADVIL LIQUI-GEL - SHELL THICKNESS

Advil Liqui-Gels contain a liquid form of ibuprofen, and the shell needs to be thick enough to maintain the integrity of the capsule. The shell serves as a barrier that keeps the liquid stable and prevents it from leaking or evaporating before the capsule is ingested. Additionally, the shell thickness helps regulate the rate of dissolution, which is crucial for ensuring the drug is released in a predictable manner.

ALLEGRA 180mg - HOMOGENEITY

Homogeneity refers to the uniform distribution of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipients (inactive ingredients) throughout the encapsulated formulation. CT scanning helps evaluate products to ensure that each dose of medication contains a consistent amount of medication, meets granulation and compaction requirements.

CT Scanning Vintage Tobacco Packs for Cards

X-RAY & CT SCANNING VINTAGE TOBACCO PACKS

History like these tobacco packs should be preserved – unless it contains even more favorable collectibles like Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, or Cy Young cards. As shown in the following image, collectors have been trying for over 20 years to see inside sealed collectibles. This x-ray shows a failed attempt to determine if the pack contains a single card.

This case study demonstrates our ability to locate cards within sealed vintage tobacco packs – with greater confidence using 3D CT Scanning rather than 2D X-ray.

IIC Featured in New York Times for Industrial CT Scanning Services

On December 12th, 2024 Industrial Inspection & Consulting was featured in the New York Times for their excellence in Non-Destructive Testing with an emphasis on X-Ray & CT Scanning. Five months prior, IIC not only turned myth into reality, but scaled this new reality into a viable, cost-effective, world-first service for thousands of potential clients by offering industrial CT scanning for the purpose of identification of sealed collectibles.

Despite the controversy surrounding the service, IIC has partnered with auction and authentication companies to help authenticate high value goods, and manufacturers to help design and test mitigation technologies, and have even developed their own patent for mitigation technologies.

To read the article visit the link below:

X-ray Inspection of PCB Solder Joint Porosity

DIGITAL X-RAY INSPECTION OF PCBs

X-ray inspection is used to inspect the quality and reliability of products containing electronics by revealing hidden defects such as soldering issues, voids, misalignments, and component damage that may not be visible externally. By identifying potential problems early in the production process, X-ray inspection helps prevent failures, reduce rework costs, and enhance the overall performance and longevity of these products. This post demonstrates three inspection tools made possible using high resolution digital x-ray imaging..

1. Solder Pad Fill

X-ray is used to ensure that the solder completely fills the pad to create a strong, conductive joint.

2. fpga wire sweep analysis

X-ray is used to examine the deformation of bonding wires within a microchip package which could potentially cause electrical shorts

3. SOLDER JOINT POROSITY X-RAY INSPECTION

X-ray is used to detect small air pockets or voids within the solder joints of a printed circuit board. We follow custom quality standards provided by our clients to identify areas where process adjustments might be needed. For example, automotive porosity standards typically call for less than 20% porosity in any joint.

Film Radiography vs Digital Radiography

Radiographic Testing can be summarized as interpreting the differential absorption of X-rays. But X-rays are a band of electromagnetic radiation that cannot be detected with human senses (sight, smell, taste, etc.) so, how do we interpret them?

Traditionally this has been done using photographic film. The film has an emulsion layer made up of silver halide crystals. These tiny crystals are light sensitive and X-rays really are just a form of light so, the crystals get excited when exposed to an X-ray.

The X-rays get attenuated at varying rates based on material thicknesses and density. Less X-rays will reach the film (or crystals) when imaging a thick section of an object compared to a thin section. Similarly, less X-rays will reach the film when imaging a more dense part made of steel vs a less dense part made of aluminum. This differential absorption (difference in X-rays making their way to a silver halide crystal) creates a latent image on the film which can then be developed into a permanent photograph with chemical processing that separates the exposed crystals from the unexposed.

Film has been the standard medium for capturing radiographic images since it was first pioneered by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895. In fact, it still has prolific use in the non-destructive testing industry today. However, these days there are other options which are becoming increasingly adopted.

Digital detector array (DDA) technology was introduced in the last few decades and is becoming increasingly popular as the technology gets better and becomes more affordable. Rather than silver halide crystals, these detectors use a matrix of photodiodes to measure the rate of X-ray absorption. And unlike film, there is no physical radiograph. Instead the image is viewed digitally on a computer.

Film Density & Digital Image Gray Scale

With film the optical density of the radiograph cannot be adjusted after the film has been developed. An optimal density range is targeted using specific exposure settings, film type, and developing time but there is a lot that can go wrong. If the area of interest on the developed film is too dark (or too light) the exposure must be reshot. It takes time and expensive materials to expose and develop a film radiograph. This all goes to waste if a reshoot is required.

With digital imaging you get to see the results right away on your computer screen without a lengthy development time and smelly chemicals. Additionally, the brightness and contrast can be electronically adjusted which provides cushion for less than optimal exposure parameters. To put this into context, the human eye can distinguish about 500 shades of gray, but a digital radiograph taken with a 16 bit detector has 65,536 shades of gray. The 16 bit image has so much information that we cannot actually discern it all by just viewing the raw image alone. To make full use of these thousands of indistinguishable shades of gray we adjust ‘window/level’ (similar to brightness/contrast) to optimize the viewing window for a given area of interest.

Portability

One of the clear shortfalls of Digital Radiography is the need for a power source. This is not an issue in a lab environment but out in the field this means lugging around extension cables and computers. There are some battery operated DDAs out there but this does not fully remedy the power issue if operating for long periods of time or environments with extreme temperatures.

DDAs are also typically rigid and heavy. This makes them tough to set in place. If dropped the DDA could be damaged. Some manufacturers have begun to develop flexible DDAs to address this issue.

On the other hand Film Radiography is extremely pliable. It can be wrapped around a pipe. It can be cut down to size to fit into tight or oddly shaped areas. If combined with a gamma source of radiation, Film Radiography can be performed with no electrical hookups whatsoever.

Another good option for portability is Computed Radiography (CR) with photostimulable phosphor imaging plates. I can’t compare Film & DDA in the field without mentioning CR but that’s a different box of worms for another post. Just know CR can be thought of as a hybridization of Film Radiography and DDA Digital Radiography. They all have their use cases.

Automation & AI

With Film Radiography every piece of film is single use. Once the silver halide crystals are exposed they cannot be reverted back to their original state. The film must either be developed or discarded. This make Film Radiography inherently impractical for automating inspections.

Some time can be saved by using custom built fixtures or an automatic processor for the development process, but in general the image acquisition is a very manual and time consuming process.

Also, because Film Radiography is an analog process with a physical media for storing data; analysis of data cannot be aided with today’s AI computer vision models.

In contrast with Digital Radiography, a DDA is reusable and can be integrated with PLCs to develop image acquisition programs which are fully automated and repeatable. This greatly saves time and cost of consumable materials when compared to Film Radiography.

These images can also be sent directly to computer vision models for analysis with AI. This is a capability that some NDT manufacturers are investing heavily into at the moment.

CT Scanning PCB Microchips

Micro-CT (micro-computed tomography) scanning has become an essential tool for inspecting microchips and PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) in the electronics industry. The technology allows for non-destructive, high-resolution internal imaging, which is crucial for ensuring the quality and performance of microchips and PCBs.

Below are some CT scan images of a microchip and some beneficial reasons for CT scanning these critical components.

Preservation of Samples: Micro-CT scanning allows for the inspection of microchips and PCBs without physically damaging them. This is especially critical for high-value components or prototypes where any damage could lead to costly delays or failures.
Internal Inspection: Unlike traditional techniques, such as X-ray inspection, micro-CT allows for the detailed visualization of the internal structures of microchips, such as the bonding wires, die, and underfill, without disassembling the components.
Inspection of Assembly Integrity: In addition to inspecting individual microchips, micro-CT scanning is highly effective in checking the quality of the entire PCB assembly, including:
- Placement accuracy of components (such as resistors, capacitors, and chips)
- Via integrity (e.g., detecting voids or solder bridges in vias)
- Trace continuity and checking for potential issues in signal paths or power distribution
Micro-Solder Joint Inspection: Micro-CT is particularly valuable for examining solder joints, which are often located in hard-to-reach areas. It can check for the presence of solder voids, underfill problems, or even assess the amount of flux residue left over.

Failure Analysis: Micro-CT scanning can identify faults within microchips and PCBs that are invisible to the naked eye or traditional inspection methods, such as:
- Solder joint failures (e.g., cracks, cold solder joints, or voids)
- Delamination in multi-layer PCBs
- Corrosion or oxidation within microchips
Process Optimization:
- Feedback for Manufacturing Process: Data obtained from micro-CT scans can be used to fine-tune manufacturing processes. For example, if a high defect rate is found in a specific area of the PCB, the manufacturing process can be adjusted to address that issue and improve yield.
- Supply Chain and Component Analysis: Micro-CT scanning can also be used to inspect incoming components from suppliers, verifying that they meet the required specifications and quality standards before they are incorporated into the final product.

Using X-Ray & CT Scanning to Identify Mystery Box Collectibles

In 2005, Hasbro launched a Star Wars collectible action figure game called Attacktix, which became a childhood obsession of mine. The game featured hundreds of characters to collect, each sold in mystery boxes containing three figures. Part of the excitement came from not knowing who you’d get until you opened the box at home, always hoping for a rare figure like Boba Fett.

Nowadays, there are all kinds of different mystery box toys on the market. I purchased 5 unique brands to see if we could use the power of attenuating radiation to see what is inside without opening them.

Starting off is Jurrasic World Captivz Hatchling Dinos.

CT scanning showed some paper, sand, & a plastic figurine. After isolating the figurine, and matching the features of the jaw & the tail it became clear that it was the brown/tan baby t-rex.

Next up is the Dragon Battle Figure Series. This one has 5 different possible figures. Using CT scanning we isolated the figure inside the pouch. Based on his pose it is clear that this one is the legendary Super Saiyan himself, Broly!

Now on to the Stumble Guys. This cool green hat packaging comes with 2 unique figurines inside. Rather than isolating the 3D models, I relied on the 2D views for this one. I was able to find a figure that looked like a lion and one that looked like a box of cereal. This can only be ‘Leonidas’ & ‘Killer Size’.

Onto Roblox. Here we CT scanned a mystery figure from Series 12. I was confused when I first opened up the file. I just saw a big oval, after doing a little digging it was clear it could only be ‘Lemon Head’. He got that skibidi toilet rizz.

Lastly is a Series 5 set from Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron. At this point I decided to challenge myself and see if I could detect what was inside with just a single, quick 10 second x-ray image. I had a hard time telling by the figurine alone, but the features of the speeder made it obvious that this is the blue mandalorian.

X-Ray & CT Imaging of Endoscopy Medical Device

X-Ray CT Inspection of Pillcam

Pill cameras, or “pillcams,” are small, ingestible devices used to capture images of the inside of the gastrointestinal tract. They are particularly useful for diagnosing conditions like Crohn’s disease, ulcers, and cancers in areas that are hard to reach with traditional endoscopy, such as the small intestine. The main benefit of pillcams is that they offer a minimally invasive, comfortable alternative to more traditional procedures, allowing doctors to observe the GI tract in real time as the pill moves through the system.

Industrial CT scans can assess the alignment and assembly of small, complex parts inside medical devices like pillcams, ensuring that all components are correctly positioned and functioning as intended. This technology offers high-resolution 3D imaging, allowing for precise analysis of intricate details that would be difficult to detect with traditional inspection methods like X-ray or visual inspection. Thus, CT scanning plays a critical role in ensuring that medical devices meet safety, performance, and quality standards before being released for use.

Battery evaluation for alignments, connections, and spring contact
Micro-PCB showing solder joint porosity

Category: X-Ray & CT Scanning